French Criminals And Terrorists Can Still Acquire Guns Easily

An article in Britain’s Business Insider newspaper examined illegal arms trafficking in Europe, often labeled the “Ant Trade” because it relies on many individuals smuggling one gun apiece rather than making bulk shipments. This analysis reflects our view that poorly regulated national borders—especially inside the Schengen trade zone—will continue to enable the arms trade no matter what gun-control laws are passed by the European Commission.

The example of Mohammed Merah, who targeted French military and Jewish civilians in the Toulouse area, is instructive: He was able to purchase an AK-47 and an Uzi in the black markets that thrive in many suburbs. One estimate puts the number of machine guns circulating the suburbs at 4,000—a sign that no matter how restricted firearms are for law-abiding French citizens, they are still readily available to those with bad intentions.

Anti-Gun Gavin Newsom Spent Extravagantly On Armed Security

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has been working hard to position himself as the fresh face of gun control—but Breitbart points out that during his tenure as mayor of San Francisco, he was accused of wasting taxpayer money on an expensive armed security detail. Newsom served as mayor from 2004 to 2011, and the mini-scandal developed in mid-2009. It was reported at the time that most major cities spent under half a million dollars on the mayor’s security, while San Francisco spent an unspecified amount of over a million.

It was further revealed that after being elected to the post of lieutenant governor, Newsom spent $30,000 more on security than his predecessor had. This goes to show that he takes the need for firearms very seriously when it comes to his own safety—it’s just the rest of California that he doesn’t care so much about.

Cathy Lanier, police chief in the District of Columbia and noted anti-gun stalwart, was interviewed by Anderson Cooper on “60 Minutes” about what ordinary people should do in the case of a mass shooting such as the Paris attacks. “Your options are run, hide and fight,” she replied. “If you’re in a position to try and take the gunman down, to take the gunman out, it’s the best option for saving lives before police can get there.”

This is good advice on the surface; despite the frequent line about waiting for police, everyone knows that emergency responders cannot be on the scene immediately. But how are civilians in D.C. supposed to “take out” a mass shooter? With a football tackle and a whole lot of luck? It seems like allowing residents to freely exercise their Second Amendment rights would have a much more successful outcome.

Chuck Schumer Is Also Backing Anti-Due Process Legislation

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has jumped on the bandwagon for prohibiting anyone on the FBI Terrorist Watch List from buying guns, regardless of due process. Sunday, he announced that he will lead a renewed push for the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act, first proposed in 2007.

In response, the NRA said it “does not want terrorists or dangerous people to have firearms,” and called it “appalling that anti-gun politicians are exploiting the Paris terrorist attacks to push their gun-control agenda and distract from President Obama’s failed foreign policy.” The Terrorist Watch List, with over 1 million names, is full of individuals with no connection to terrorism—many are simply unlucky in having a name that resembles a suspect. No one is informed when they are added to the list, and there is no clear procedure for being removed from it; these are unacceptable grounds for denying citizens a constitutionally protected right.

When George Kennedy, 70, found a man stealing a generator and power tools from his garage Thursday morning, he asked the man to stop. When the man refused, Kennedy returned to his home, grabbed a shotgun and, with his 66-year-old wife who armed herself with a handgun, held the man at gunpoint for police, the Albuquerque Journalreports.

Police arrested the alleged robber, Aaron Lujan, 26, for the third time in one week. Police reported that Lujan was also arrested Saturday for robbing another elderly woman, and was still wearing a wristband ID from jail when he was re-arrested Thursday. Police also found that the Jeep Lujan was loading the stolen items into Thursday was also stolen.

Although he faced a variety of charges, from aggravated assault with a deadly weapon to residential burglary, Lujan was released back to the streets yet again by Friday.